NBC Earns Best "SNF" Season Since Net Acquired Primetime Package

NBC averaged a 13.0 final Nielsen rating and 21.8 million viewers for its 18 NFL telecasts this season, marking the net's best audience figures since it began airing "SNF" five seasons ago. This year's numbers are also up 11% and 12%, respectively, from an 11.7 rating and 19.4 million viewers for 17 telecasts last season. From the start of current TV season (Sept. 20) through the end of the NFL regular season, "SNF" has been the No. 1 primetime show on all of TV among viewers and all key male and adult demos, marking the first such accomplishment for an NFL primetime program since Nielsen began its people-meter measurements in '87. NBC's 18 telecasts were also the No. 1 show in primetime on all of television for the night they aired. Eleven telecasts topped the 20-million viewer mark; last season, only seven "SNF" telecasts topped 20 million viewers. Additionally, seven of the top 10 most-viewed "SNF" games on NBC occurred this season. New Orleans led all markets with a 25.0 local rating over the 18 telecasts, followed by Milwaukee (21.9) and Las Vegas (20.8). NBC finished this past Sunday night with an 11.3 rating and 19.4 million viewers for the Rams-Seahawks game, which marks the best NFL finale since Patriots-Dolphins earned a 21.8 rating on ABC in '97. Compared to Bengals-Jets in Week 17 last year, Rams-Seahawks is up 13% and 19%, respectively (THE DAILY).

NBC "SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" RATINGS, VIEWERSHIP TREND

YEAR

GAMES

RATING

VIEWERS (000)

'10

18

13.0

21,800

'09

17

11.7

19,418

'08

17

10.2

16,638

'07

17

10.0

15,964

'06

17

11.0

17,504

IS THIS SEATTLE OR SOUTH BEND? NBC announced that Mike Mayock will be the booth analyst for the Saints-Seahawks playoff game Saturday at 4:30pm ET, the first game of the net's NFL Wild Card doubleheader. Mayock will join play-by-play announcer Tom Hammond in the booth; the pair also calls Notre Dame football games for NBC. Alex Flanagan will be the sideline reporter. The "SNF" team of Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Andrea Kremer will call the 8:00pm Jets-Colts game (NBC Universal).

AUSSIE RULES FOOTBALL: In Dallas, Rainer Sabin notes Cowboys P Mat McBriar will provide "analysis that will air on ESPN Australia" during Super Bowl XLV. McBriar, an Australian native, said, “I’m not going to talk X’s and O’s. I’ll talk like, ‘This guy is really good. Watch him catch the ball.’ It should be fun. It was an opportunity that was presented to me and I was like, ‘This may never happen again’” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/4).